Latest / Fairview Presbyterian Church (PCA) Sermons / Growing Up into Christ (Hebrews 5:11-6:8)- Pastor Kenneth Collins Maple

Transcript

Growing Up into Christ (Hebrews 5:11-6:8)- Pastor Kenneth Collins Maple · Fairview Presbyterian Church (PCA) Sermons

0:01
Amen, and if you would take your Bibles then
0:08
and open them once again to the New Testament
0:12
book of Hebrews Hebrews chapter 5 Starting in
0:19
verse 11 and we'll take it through 6 8 and I
0:24
do ask that you would Open in your Bibles and
0:28
if you don't have a Bible that you brought use
0:30
the pew Bible there in front of you that we would
0:32
gain the most benefit possible from the reading
0:36
of God's Word, which I do so now, Hebrews chapter
0:40
five, starting in verse 11. About this we have
0:47
much to say, and it is hard to explain since
0:52
you have become dull of hearing. For though by
0:55
this time you ought to be teachers, you need
0:58
someone to teach you again the basic principles
1:02
of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid
1:07
food. For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled
1:12
in the word of righteousness since he is a child.
1:16
But solid food is for the mature, for those who
1:20
have their powers of discernment trained by constant
1:24
practice to distinguish good from evil. Therefore,
1:29
let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ
1:32
and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation
1:37
of repentance from dead works. and of faith towards
1:40
God, and of instruction about washings, the laying
1:43
on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and
1:48
eternal judgment. And if this we will do, this
1:51
we will do if God permits, for it is impossible
1:55
in the case of those who have once been enlightened,
1:59
who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared
2:02
in the Holy Spirit. have tasted the goodness
2:05
of the Word of God and the powers of the age
2:08
to come and then have fallen away to restore
2:12
them again to repentance since they are crucifying
2:15
once again the Son of God to their own harm and
2:20
holding him up to contempt. For land that has
2:23
drunk the rain that often falls on it and produces
2:27
a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated
2:31
receives a blessing from God, but if it bears
2:35
thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near
2:39
to being cursed and its end is to be burned.
2:45
This is God's word. Let him who has ears hear
2:50
and let us pray. Father, we thank you for your
2:56
perfect word, your word that is truth. I pray
3:00
that we would abide in this truth that we might
3:03
not sin against you. But certainly Lord there
3:06
are things that we don't understand and so we
3:10
ask that you would by your spirit Grant us this
3:14
understanding and that you would speak through
3:16
me We ask this in Christ's name. Amen several
3:24
years ago at more than several I was having dinner
3:29
with a friend and as we finished our dinner and
3:32
we walked out to the parking lot this friend
3:35
said to me I don't need theology. I just need
3:42
Jesus. That bothered me. And I wonder if it bothers
3:51
you. I don't need theology. I just need Jesus.
3:56
Now, first of all, regarding a statement like
3:58
that, praise God for one thing, I need Jesus.
4:01
We would affirm that's good, right? We all need
4:04
Jesus, but do we need theology? Well, what is
4:10
theology but the study of God that sounds like
4:12
a good thing, right? Heads should be nodding
4:16
at this But a statement like that. I don't need
4:20
theology. I just need Jesus it almost it almost
4:24
sounds pious right that is until we come to a
4:32
Text like the one that we have here a statement
4:36
like that can't hold up to scrutiny when we look
4:39
at Hebrews 5 And six, we are to study the deep
4:45
things of God. And so a statement like I don't
4:51
need theology, this just represents immaturity.
4:56
And so what I want for us today is to see that
4:59
we do need theology. We do need to understand
5:03
what scripture says. We need to give ourselves
5:06
to this. J. Gresham Machen, over a hundred years
5:11
ago, said this. Some men seem to devote most
5:17
of their energies to the task of seeing just
5:20
how little of Christian truth they can get along
5:24
with. We should see just how much Christian truth
5:28
we can obtain. We ought to search the scriptures
5:32
reverently and thoughtfully and pray God that
5:35
he may lead us into an ever fuller understanding
5:39
of the truth that can make us wise. unto salvation.
5:46
And that's where I'm going today for this is
5:48
where I believe that this passage is going. I
5:50
want us to see three things and I want to put
5:54
this in kind of a medical jargon if you will.
5:58
I want us to see the diagnosis, the treatment
6:03
and the prognosis of this passage. For as one
6:09
Bible commentator says, A diagnosis without a
6:13
treatment plan is useless. A treatment plan without
6:17
a diagnosis is dangerous. And so we're going
6:20
to look at the diagnosis, we're going to look
6:22
at the treatment, but also what occurs just a
6:25
little bit later into chapter 6 is the prognosis.
6:28
What will occur for those who harden their hearts
6:32
and do not press on in faith in Christ? And as
6:38
the writer diagnoses the hearts of those who
6:40
listen, let us heed this warning, search within
6:44
and see that the way to growth in Christ comes
6:48
by his word. And so look, if you will, in chapter
6:53
five, verse 11, it begins about this or concerning
6:59
this, concerning which, what the writer of Hebrews
7:02
does as he pauses from what he's been saying
7:05
about Christ as our great high priest to address
7:09
the hearts and the minds to whom of those to
7:13
whom he is writing. He scolds the audience for
7:17
their lack of maturity, for their dullness of
7:21
hearing. Now, the writer of Hebrews has a lot
7:24
to say, and he's been saying it and he's going
7:26
to keep saying it. But what he does is he pauses
7:29
right here to address their hearts. Now no doubt
7:35
some of the things that we have been reading
7:36
about and studying in Hebrews can be difficult
7:40
For instance just last Sunday. We are talking
7:43
about this mysterious figure called Melchizedek
7:46
that can be difficult But notice the problem
7:50
isn't really the difficulty of the subject matter
7:54
It's not for verse 11 says it's hard to explain
8:00
since you have become dull of hearing. And so
8:06
it's not really the subject matter, is it? It's
8:09
their hearts, their hearts that are hard and
8:13
sluggish or slothful, maybe lazy, the hearts
8:18
that are slow to hear. The subject matter is
8:21
hard. But what is harder is their hearts, the
8:25
problems within. There's a sin problem here that
8:29
he is addressing. And we have already said how
8:35
These who are reading or hearing this letter
8:38
are experiencing some form of persecution or
8:42
at the very least the threat of persecution and
8:46
Yet the writer doesn't let them off the hook
8:49
as if to say well I know what you're going through
8:52
so it's okay. That's not what he does at all
8:55
He addresses this problem that they have within
8:59
them, and I think that that's important for us
9:02
to understand Because sometimes we can attribute
9:06
our weakness of faith our lack of spiritual maturity
9:11
to external factors When actually the problem
9:14
is with our own hearts Sometimes we need to be
9:19
called out Because friends God knows exactly
9:23
what you're going through he does and he is doing
9:28
something in the situations every single situation
9:31
God does nothing arbitrarily he is at work, friends.
9:37
But as you will feed your faith, you will be
9:40
able to persevere. Even through the darkest and
9:44
most difficult challenges, you can persevere
9:48
when the diagnosis comes. And so that's what
9:52
he's telling these people. Look at verse 12,
9:57
though. These are probably not brand new believers.
10:02
And some of them, at least some of them are Hebrews,
10:05
and so they know their Old Testament's here.
10:08
But verse 12 says, for though by this time you
10:11
ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach
10:14
you again the basic principles of the oracles
10:17
of God. By this time, you ought to be teachers.
10:21
I don't think he's saying here that every single
10:23
one of you should be a teacher, a pastor, a Sunday
10:27
school leader within the church. I think that
10:29
contradicts what scripture sells elsewhere. James,
10:32
the book of James, says not every one of you
10:34
should be teachers. But what is he really saying
10:36
here? He is saying you should know this so well
10:40
that you ought to be able to talk to one another
10:43
about it, to teach them the fundamentals of our
10:46
holy religion. This should be a review, he says,
10:50
but instead they are having to review. They're
10:54
having to go back to the milk. Look at 12 and
10:59
13. He says, you need milk, not solid food. Now
11:05
remember, this is the diagnosis. This is not
11:08
the treatment. So he's taking them back to that.
11:14
You are spiritually immature, he is saying. And
11:17
they're not ready for anything more. Now let's
11:20
understanding something about the milk that is
11:22
talked about. When he talks about milk, he's
11:24
talking about the fundamentals, the essentials,
11:28
the foundation, the basics. Now that's very important.
11:33
We have to have the basics. We have to have the
11:35
foundation, right? So he's not saying do away
11:38
with the foundation. But what he is saying is
11:42
that you need to be pressing on. You need to
11:44
be building upon that foundation. It's very similar
11:47
to what Paul says in First Corinthians 3 1 through
11:53
2 when he says, But I, brothers, could not address
11:58
you as spiritual people, but as people of the
12:01
flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk.
12:06
not solid food, for you are not ready for it.
12:10
And even now, you are not yet ready. Be it the
12:15
Corinthians or be it those receiving this letter
12:18
of the Hebrews here. It doesn't sound like they're
12:21
just stuck on the ABCs. It actually sounds like
12:25
they're doing the ACBs. They're mixed up. They've
12:29
lost their understanding of the first principles.
12:31
And so they have to be reminded of who Christ
12:34
is. what he has done and how Christ continues
12:37
to function as our great high priest. This is
12:41
the diagnosis of these people and I wonder what
12:47
the diagnosis is of us. Where are we in our faith?
12:55
Are we pressing on to maturity? Are we growing
12:59
up into Christ? Friends there are five quick
13:03
reasons why I think we desperately need to consider
13:07
this. Firstly, we are commanded to grow. We are
13:13
commanded to grow in Christ. Let me read to you
13:18
2nd Peter chapter 3, 2nd Peter 3, about verse
13:25
15 through 18. As it says, our beloved brother
13:30
Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom
13:34
given him. as he does in all his letters when
13:38
he speaks to them of these matters. There are
13:40
some things in them that are hard to understand,
13:44
which I find to be interesting that he says that.
13:47
He's talking about reading the letters of Paul
13:49
being difficult. Well, if you've read 1st and
13:53
2nd Peter, sometimes I find that difficult too.
13:56
Maybe that's just me. But it says which the ignorant
13:59
and unstable twist to their own destruction as
14:02
they do other scriptures you therefore beloved
14:05
Knowing this beforehand take care that you are
14:09
not carried away with the error of lawless people
14:13
and lose your own stability But grow in the grace
14:18
and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
14:22
Friends, we are to grow in this way not to be
14:25
content where we are And so that's first, we're
14:29
commanded to grow. But secondly, growth in Christ
14:32
by His word will keep us grounded in the truth.
14:37
And for evidence of this, I take you to Ephesians
14:41
chapter four, 11 through 16. And He gave the
14:48
apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the
14:51
shepherds, and the teachers to equip the saints
14:54
for the work of ministry, for building up the
14:57
body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity
15:01
of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son
15:04
of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of
15:08
the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that
15:11
we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro
15:14
by the waves carried about by every wind of doctrine,
15:19
by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful
15:22
schemes rather speaking the truth in love we
15:26
are to grow up in every way into him who is the
15:29
head into Christ from whom the whole body joined
15:33
and held together by every joint with which it
15:36
is equipped when each part is working properly
15:39
makes the body grow so that it builds itself
15:43
up in love and so we are to be growing in Christ
15:48
that we would not be carried about by every wind
15:51
of doctrine, that we would be aware of what is
15:55
true teaching and what is false teaching. Thirdly,
16:01
we are to grow up into Christ that we might not
16:06
sin against God. It's all over the scriptures,
16:10
but Psalms, especially Psalm 119 says, I have
16:13
hidden your word in my heart that I might not
16:17
sin against you. And so again, we are commanded
16:21
to grow. Growth keeps us grounded. Growing in
16:25
Christ keeps us from sin. But fourthly, and very,
16:30
very much from our passage today, in times of
16:34
persecution, we need the comfort and the truth
16:38
of God's Word. So that when people revile you,
16:42
when people hate you for your faith, that you
16:44
would be comforted and you would be reminded
16:47
of the truth of Scripture. And then fifthly and
16:50
finally, again from our passage, we are to grow
16:54
in Christ in order that we might instruct and
16:58
teach others. So we have this tremendous benefit,
17:02
but that benefit also benefits others. And so
17:06
you see where all of this is going then, that's
17:08
the diagnosis where we're going right into the
17:12
treatment plan. And so look specifically at verse
17:16
14 of chapter five. As he said, solid food is
17:24
for the mature. Solid food is for the mature,
17:28
right? This is very similar to another passage
17:32
in First Corinthians. First Corinthians chapter
17:35
13, verse 11 says it like this, and this is one
17:42
you probably know. When I was a child, I spoke
17:46
like a child. I thought like a child. I reasoned
17:50
like a child. When I became a man, I gave up
17:53
childish ways. We need mature ways. And yet sometimes
18:00
we confuse things a little bit. Because we are
18:04
not to have a childish faith. We can have a childlike
18:09
faith. You who have children know that your children,
18:12
they trust you for things, right? We trust our
18:16
Heavenly Father in that way, but that is not
18:19
a childish faith. That's a childlike faith. But
18:24
as we give ourselves to scripture, we are growing
18:27
up in these ways. And we need to for the reasons
18:30
I've already listed. But think about it like
18:32
this. There are there are hobbies and there are
18:36
jobs and there are interests that you have right
18:39
now that you want to get better at. Right. Some
18:43
of you want to be better cooks. Some of you want
18:46
to be better gardeners. You want to be better
18:48
parents. You want to be better at your job. And
18:50
so what do you do? You read books. You read articles.
18:54
You watch videos. Maybe you take a class, right,
18:57
on these things. Young people in here, any of
19:00
you play sports? I know that you do. I know that
19:04
some of you are in dance. Some of you are in
19:06
basketball, cross country. Do you ever have to
19:09
go through drills and go to practice on these
19:12
things? Of course you do. Right? Well, if we're
19:16
going to practice these things, how much more
19:19
should we practice and learn and train in matters
19:23
of godliness? So what about our faith? I like
19:29
how one pastor put this when he said, if in 12
19:35
years my middle schooler is a middle school teacher,
19:40
I would be happy about that. But if my child
19:44
were still in middle school, I would not be happy
19:47
about that, right? We would not be content there,
19:51
would we? Of course not. And so are we content
19:55
just to be where we are? Or are we actively feeding
19:59
our faith to grow up into Christ? Here is where
20:03
I want to encourage you. I want to encourage
20:07
you to be more involved in our discipleship ministries
20:11
at this church. we have ways for you to grow
20:15
in your faith together and so would you become
20:19
more involved in Sunday school and Wednesday
20:22
night would you women would you become more involved
20:26
in the wick as you are able men to be more involved
20:29
with the prayer breakfast on Thursday or men
20:32
of the Covenant children with the ministries
20:35
that we have for you like Vacation Bible school
20:38
and certainly the Wednesday nights and the Sunday
20:40
mornings I want all of us to become more involved
20:44
in these things, not less involved. To become
20:47
more involved is part of our treatment plan.
20:51
But also look at the end of verse 14, and this
20:54
is similar to something I've already mentioned.
20:58
As it says, solid food is for the mature, for
21:00
those who have their powers of discernment, trained
21:03
by constant practice to distinguish good from
21:08
evil. The discernment of what is right and what
21:11
is wrong comes to those who practice and are
21:15
trained. And this is more than just being a champion
21:18
of Bible jeopardy, not to trivialize Bible trivia,
21:22
but there are real implications on the line.
21:25
There are real stakes on the line. There is success
21:28
to be had in the Christian life as we give ourselves
21:32
to the reading and the studying and the memorization.
21:38
and the praying over and of the hearing of the
21:41
word taught, we are growing into Christ. And
21:46
so look at verse one of chapter six. Therefore,
21:52
let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ
21:56
and go on to maturity. Now you might have questions
22:01
about this, leaving the elementary doctrines
22:04
of Christ. Well, friends, this doesn't mean leaving
22:06
behind the foundation. You don't acquire a good
22:10
foundation and then replace it. What do you do
22:13
on top of a foundation? You build and so you
22:17
have a solid foundation in Jesus But we need
22:20
to build upon this and it sounds like he is saying
22:24
some of you are not doing this and they can have
22:28
dramatic drastic implications for your lives
22:32
and so we must be growing we must be pressing
22:35
on I like how Steven Whitmer, a Bible commentator,
22:41
puts it, he says, it's thrilling to see the foundation
22:45
of a house being built if it's your future home.
22:49
But it's not so thrilling if the workmen are
22:53
still working on the foundation three years later,
22:55
right? And it should be that way with our faith.
22:59
We should not be content where we are, but we
23:02
should be growing in these ways. And so that's
23:05
the treatment. But what about the prognosis?
23:09
Look at verses four through eight. The prognosis.
23:13
This is the warning for those who would be content
23:16
to remain where they are and not press on in
23:20
Christ. And this is a notoriously difficult section
23:24
here. And so I hope to help you understand this.
23:29
As you look at verse four and it says, just to
23:33
remind you, for it's impossible. the case of
23:36
those who have once been enlightened who have
23:38
tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy
23:41
Spirit and tasted the goodness of the Word of
23:43
God and the powers of the age to come and then
23:46
have fallen away to restore them again to repentance
23:49
and so we might ask Impossible, what is it getting
23:54
at here? Is this saying that we can lose our
23:58
salvation? Now I know what we believe as reformed
24:02
Christians. We would say no, you don't lose your
24:04
salvation, but I still wants you to heed this
24:07
important warning. And there are three thoughts
24:11
that I have on this that might help us. One,
24:13
this is a warning. We acknowledge that God ordains
24:19
the ends as well as the means and the means whereby
24:24
you remain firm in Jesus Christ. You hold steadfast
24:29
where you persevere. is as you heed warnings
24:33
like this. This is a stark warning. Don't do
24:36
it. Don't abandon your faith. And the writer
24:39
of Hebrews has already laid out the case why
24:41
you should not do that. Why? Because of what
24:45
the book of Hebrews is all about. Christ is better.
24:49
Christ is greater. Christ is preeminent. Christ
24:53
is greater than the angels. Christ is greater
24:56
than Moses. Christ is greater than Aaron the
24:59
high priest. So he's saying don't give up on
25:03
this great high priest This is a warning Don't
25:09
give up but secondly what might also help us
25:13
with this is to remember the infallible rule
25:16
of interpretation that scripture Interprets scripture.
25:22
And so what do you do when you come upon? Hebrews
25:25
chapter 6 verse 4 and on that's a difficult passage.
25:29
And so what do you do? you look at other passages
25:32
that might be able to help you interpret this
25:35
one and Passages are in abundance that share
25:39
with you. You do not lose your salvation Passages
25:45
like John chapter 6 that's where Jesus says he
25:48
loses nothing the father has given to him Or
25:52
in John chapter 10 where he says no one will
25:55
snatch his sheep from his hand Passages abound
26:00
to tell us that if you are in Christ, friends,
26:03
you are in Christ. But thirdly, I think he acknowledges
26:10
that the visible church can be a mixed bag of
26:15
believers and unbelievers. The unbelievers are
26:20
like what he describes in four through eight.
26:22
They're like the land that receives rain but
26:25
bears no fruit. They're like, if you remember
26:28
the parable of the sower, and I reminded you
26:30
of this a few weeks ago, the parable of the sower,
26:33
the seed that falls on the rocky ground that
26:36
produces nothing because it has no depth. And
26:38
when trouble comes, they're gone. The visible
26:43
church, sadly, can be a mixed bag of believers
26:46
and unbelievers. And so he is telling them, do
26:50
not abandon Christ Jesus. For those who do, look
26:55
at verse six. They are crucifying once again
26:59
the Son of God to their own harm and holding
27:03
him up to contempt I think this is an illusion
27:06
a reference back to when Jesus came triumphant
27:10
Lee into Jerusalem and the people are shouting
27:13
their hosannas They are celebrating but what
27:16
are they doing at the end of the week? They're
27:19
shouting crucify him crucify him those people
27:27
when they looked at Christ he did not meet their
27:30
expectations and So they did not pursue him at
27:35
all and those who would do this those who would
27:38
turn their backs on Jesus There's a word to describe
27:41
them that we have already covered apostate apostasy
27:47
and Friends, I want to encourage you again to
27:52
be in the scriptures because it's my belief that
27:56
apostasy isn't something we start out, we set
27:59
out to do. James Boyce said, apostasy starts
28:04
with neglect, not a dramatic exit. Not a dramatic
28:10
exit. I don't think anybody comes to Christ and
28:13
hears all these wonderful things and all of the
28:15
benefits that are in this passage and says immediately,
28:19
I don't want those things. They become complacent
28:22
in their faith. They become apathetic. in their
28:27
faith, and they prove that they were never actually
28:31
in Christ. And so no, friends, you don't lose
28:36
your salvation. Those who would abandon Christ
28:40
show that they were never in Christ in the first
28:44
place. And so here's where I want to encourage
28:49
you. Perhaps you've gone through a season of
28:53
your life where you have ignored God. Maybe you've
28:57
backed away from the church for a time. You can
29:01
repent of that. You can repent of that. Matter
29:05
of fact, that should be your treatment plan.
29:08
To repent and ask God to draw you closer to him
29:11
with new obedience that you would grow in your
29:14
love for him and trusting him by his word. Apostasy's
29:21
not talking about you didn't read your Bible
29:25
this morning. that you've fallen off of your
29:28
treatment plan. And a matter of fact, if you
29:31
are concerned about apostasy, I believe that
29:34
that shows that you are not apostate. For I think
29:37
one who was apostate wouldn't care about that
29:40
and they wouldn't be in here. And so here is
29:43
where I want to, yes, I want you to heed this
29:46
warning, but I also want to encourage you Christians
29:50
to take heart that if you are in Christ, You
29:54
will not be lost. Second Timothy two, verse 19
29:58
says the Lord knows those who are his. He knows
30:05
you because he gave his son for you. And regarding
30:11
perseverance, because that's really where this
30:13
is going. We talk a lot about the Westminster
30:15
Confession of Faith, as we should. But the canons
30:19
of Dort, another great reformation document,
30:22
says this about perseverance. And as it is pleased
30:26
God by the preaching of the gospel to begin this
30:30
work of grace in us, so he preserves, continues
30:35
and perfects it by the hearing and reading of
30:38
his word, by meditation thereon and by the exhortations,
30:43
threatenings and promises thereof, and by the
30:46
use of the sacraments. And so, friends, are you
30:52
giving yourselves to the means of grace that
30:56
you might indeed grow in His grace. If you are,
31:02
then let me encourage you with one final scripture
31:05
from Romans chapter 8, 29 through 30 that says,
31:08
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined
31:13
to be conformed to the image of his son in order
31:17
that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
31:20
And those whom he predestined, he also called.
31:24
And those whom he called, he also justified.
31:27
And those whom he justified, he also glorified.
31:31
This is called the golden chain. Do you hear
31:35
any breaks in that chain? I don't hear any. If
31:41
he has predestined you, He has called you. He
31:45
has justified you. He will glorify you. Friends,
31:50
if you are in Christ, you will always be in Christ.
31:54
And you are just as secure now as you ever will
31:57
be. And if you have been adopted into God's family,
32:00
He does not un -adopt you. And if you have the
32:03
indwelling of the Spirit, the Spirit is not looking
32:07
to escape you. No, friends. You are just as secure
32:11
now as you ever will be. But what are you to
32:15
do in the meantime? You are to feed your faith.
32:21
Church family, let us press on in feeding our
32:24
faith for our growth in Christ. Amen.